‘It's about basic respect. Women deserve dignity': Hardik Pandya slams paparazzi for capturing girlfriend Mahieka Sharma's private moment

Hardik Pandya recently took a firm stand on social media, calling out paparazzi for invading his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma’s privacy. Sharing his disappointment on Instagram, the cricketer expressed that the way she was photographed was not only disrespectful but also crossed personal boundaries. Known for handling public attention gracefully, Pandya reminded everyone that fame does not justify a breach of dignity or personal space.

The Bandra restaurant incident

Pandya revealed that the incident occurred when Mahieka was casually walking down the stairs of a restaurant in Bandra. He expressed disappointment that photographers chose to capture her from an inappropriate angle, stressing that no woman should ever be subjected to such treatment. In his strongly worded message, “I understand that living in the public eye comes with attention and scrutiny, it's part of the life I've chosen. But today something happened that crossed a line. Mahieka was simply walking down a staircase at a Bandra restaurant when paparazzi decided to capture her from an angle that no woman deserves to be photographed from. A private moment was turned into cheap sensationalism.”

Plea for media respect

He further added, “This isn't about headlines or who clicked what, it's about basic respect. Women deserve dignity: Everyone deserves boundaries. To the media brothers who work hard every day: I respect your hustle, and I always cooperate. But I'm requesting you all, please be a little more mindful. Not everything needs to be captured. Not every angle needs to be taken. Let’s keep some humanity in this game. Thank you.”

Hardik Pandya's past with Natasa Stanković

Previously, Hardik Pandya was married to Serbian actress and dancer Natasa Stanković. The couple got engaged in January 2020 during a surprise yacht proposal, followed by a low-key court wedding in May 2020 amid the COVID-19 lockdown. They welcomed their son, Agastya Pandya, in July 2020 and renewed their vows in a grand ceremony in Udaipur, Rajasthan, on February 14, 2023, blending Christian and Hindu rituals. The pair mutually separated in July 2024 after four years together, announcing the decision amicably on social media while committing to co-parent their son.

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